--- title: "Emergency preparedness checklist: power, water and food for 3, 7 or 30 days" description: "A practical checklist for outages and emergencies: water, food, medicine, communication and backup power sized to the appliances you actually need." canonical: "https://betterpowered.com/articles/emergency-preparedness-checklist-power-water-food/" locale: "en-US" contentKind: "article" articleFormat: "checklist" articleFormatLabel: "Checklist" topic: "roof-solar-resilience" topicLabel: "Roof, solar & resilience" datePublished: "2026-11-02T19:40:26.000Z" dateModified: "2026-11-10T03:30:13.000Z" author: "BetterPowered Editorial Team" --- # Emergency preparedness checklist: power, water and food for 3, 7 or 30 days In late October, former FBI deputy director Dan Bongino told his podcast audience to keep 30 days of food, water and power at home, citing preparedness campaigns abroad. The clip spread quickly. Emergency-management experts interviewed afterward said there was no official indication of a specific imminent threat. They also said that preparing calmly works better than reacting to a headline. Official guidance asks for less time. Ready.gov recommends supplies for several days and the United Kingdom's campaign asks for at least 72 hours. Some state agencies ask for more where storms can keep power off longer; Florida, for example, recommends a kit for at least 7 days during hurricane season. Choose a target that fits your household and your region, then work through the list below. Printable versions: [Outage checklist](/articles/emergency-preparedness-checklist-power-water-food/outage-checklist-en.pdf) (PDF, one page) · [What can I keep running, and for how long?](/articles/emergency-preparedness-checklist-power-water-food/runtime-table-en.pdf) (PDF, one page) ## Choose a target: 3, 7 or 30 days - **3 days** covers a short outage or a period when stores are closed. - **7 days** suits regions where hurricanes, winter storms or wildfires can delay restoration. - **30 days** is a personal choice for households that want more margin. It mostly changes how much water and food you store and how you will recharge batteries. It does not mean a portable battery can run a home for a month. Build the 3-day level first. Then extend the items that matter most for your home. ## 1. Water Plan one gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation, as Ready.gov recommends. A household of four needs about 12 gallons for 3 days, 28 gallons for 7 days and 120 gallons for 30 days. Add water for pets and for anyone who needs more. ![Comparison of 3, 7 and 30 day preparedness targets for a household of four at one gallon of water per person per day. 3 days: 12 gallons; covers a short outage or a period when stores are closed; build this level first. 7 days: 28 gallons; suits regions where hurricanes, winter storms or wildfires can delay restoration; recharging matters more than battery size. 30 days: 120 gallons; a personal choice for more margin, where storage space becomes the limit, and it does not mean a portable battery can run a home for a month. A second panel shows that during an outage, with the doors kept closed, a refrigerator keeps food cold about four hours and a full freezer about 48 hours, according to Ready.gov.](https://betterpowered.com/articles/emergency-preparedness-checklist-power-water-food/water-by-target-en-2694196b78a1.webp) *Water for a household of four by target, at Ready.gov’s one gallon per person per day, and how long a closed refrigerator and a full freezer keep food cold.* For longer targets, storage space becomes the limit. Combine sealed bottled water with clean containers you can refill, and decide in advance how you would treat water if supply were interrupted. ## 2. Food you can prepare without power Choose non-perishable food your household already eats and that needs little or no cooking. Include a manual can opener. Rotate items into your normal meals so the supply stays fresh. During an outage, keep the refrigerator and freezer closed. Ready.gov says a refrigerator keeps food cold for about four hours and a full freezer for about 48 hours. A thermometer tells you when food has reached 40 °F and should be discarded. ## 3. Light, radio and communication - A flashlight for each person, plus extra batteries. - A battery-powered or hand-crank radio, ideally a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert. - Phone chargers and a backup battery. - A written list of important phone numbers in case a phone is lost or discharged. ## 4. Medicines and power-dependent medical devices Ask your doctor or pharmacist about an emergency supply of medications; some state agencies, such as Florida's, suggest at least two weeks. Ask also how long refrigerated medicines can stay at higher temperatures. If someone uses an oxygen concentrator, a CPAP or another device that needs electricity, ask the provider for a written backup plan before choosing equipment. Confirm the device's actual power draw and whether the manufacturer allows battery operation. ## 5. Decide which appliances need backup power Make a short list before you shop: phones, internet router, lights, fans, a refrigerator, a medical device. Write down the watts each one uses and the hours per day you need it. Appliances that heat, such as microwaves, coffee makers and space heaters, use a large share of the available output while they run. This list drives every other decision. Our guide to [planning home battery backup loads](/articles/home-battery-backup-load-planning/) explains how to measure consumption and starting power. ## 6. A portable power station sized to that list Compare two figures. Continuous output in watts (W) limits what can run at the same time. Capacity in watt-hours (Wh) is the energy available. For example, Anker lists the [SOLIX C1000 Gen 2](/shop/products/anker-solix-c1000-gen-2/) at 1,024 Wh of capacity and 2,000 W of continuous output. Those figures do not mean a 2,000 W load runs for an hour. Conversion losses, reserve and the station's own consumption reduce runtime. To estimate how long a full charge lasts, divide the usable energy by the measured daily use of your essentials. ![Three-step method for a portable power station. Step 1: a blank worksheet listing phones, internet router, lights, fans, refrigerator and a medical device, with columns for watts, hours per day and watt-hours per day, adding up to the daily use of your essentials. Step 2: continuous output in watts limits what can run at the same time, so compare it with the watts of everything you will run together. Step 3: usable energy in watt-hours divided by measured daily use gives days per full charge; conversion losses, reserve and the station’s own consumption reduce runtime. A warning says a station listed at 1,024 Wh of capacity and 2,000 W of continuous output does not run a 2,000 W load for an hour.](https://betterpowered.com/articles/emergency-preparedness-checklist-power-water-food/runtime-method-en-68c12085e679.webp) *From an appliance list to a runtime estimate: watts and hours per day, a check against continuous output, then usable energy divided by daily use.* [Compare portable power stations](/shop/collections/portable-power/) ## 7. A way to recharge for longer targets For 7 or 30 days, recharging matters more than the size of the battery. Options include solar panels, a vehicle charger or a fuel generator. Solar input depends on sun, weather, panel placement and the station's input limit. Anker lists the C1000 Gen 2 at up to 600 W of solar input; real production is usually lower. Check that panels and cables are compatible before an emergency, and practice setting them up. [See solar panels](/shop/collections/solar-panels/) ## 8. Fuel generators: outdoors only If you use a fuel generator, follow Ready.gov's guidance. Run it only outdoors, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and attached garages, and install battery-operated carbon monoxide detectors on every level of the home. Let it cool before refueling. Never connect a generator or a power station to household wiring through an outlet. Connecting to home circuits requires a transfer switch or inlet installed by a licensed electrician. ## 9. Documents, cash and a family plan Keep copies of identification, insurance and medical information in a waterproof bag. Store some cash in small bills. Agree on a meeting point and an out-of-area contact. If someone in your household has special needs or depends on electricity, ask your local emergency management office whether it keeps a registry for residents who may need help. ## 10. Know your next step A portable station protects a short list of plug-in essentials. Backing up central air conditioning, a well pump or whole circuits is a different project that involves your electrical panel, permits and an installer. Read [how to grow from a portable power station to whole-home backup](/articles/portable-power-station-to-whole-home-backup/) before buying equipment you may outgrow. ## Estimate backup for your own equipment Once you have your appliance list and the hours you need, [use our portable power calculator](/shop/battery-backup-calculator/) to prepare a selection. It is a planning guide; confirm consumption, starting power, compatibility and manufacturer conditions before deciding. ## Sources - [Build a Kit — Ready.gov](https://www.ready.gov/kit) — www.ready.gov - [Power Outages — Ready.gov](https://www.ready.gov/power-outages) — www.ready.gov - [Plan & Prepare — Florida Division of Emergency Management](https://www.floridadisaster.org/planprepare/) — www.floridadisaster.org - [Emergency Preparedness Brochure 2026 — Florida Agency for Persons with Disabilities](https://apd.myflorida.com/resources/docs/Emergency%20Preparedness%20Brochure%202026.pdf) — apd.myflorida.com - [Former FBI deputy director warns Americans to have 30 days worth of food and water](https://13wham.com/news/nation-world/former-fbi-deputy-director-warns-americans-to-have-30-days-worth-of-food-and-water-uk-cyberattack-russia) — The National News Desk - [No 'specific imminent threat': Experts put Dan Bongino's viral warning in perspective](https://foxbaltimore.com/news/nation-world/no-specific-imminent-threat-experts-put-dan-bonginos-viral-warning-in-perspective) — The National News Desk - [Anker SOLIX C1000 Gen 2 — official specifications](https://www.ankersolix.com/products/c1000-gen2) — www.ankersolix.com